Two organizations exist in Minnesota that promote sustainable, "green" building practices.
One of the programs, LEED for Homes, is also available throughout the nation.
You can have your house certified by either organization at various levels (Certified, Silver, Gold or
Platinum) depending upon how many points you want to achieve.

The purpose of both programs is to promote energy efficiency, wise and sustainable use of
resources, reduction of carbon emissions and waste, and the reduced use of water. A large
component of each program is the promotion of low-VOC (volatile organic compound) paints, adhesives, cabinetry,
countertops, and flooring. We applaud this because low-VOC products
substantially reduce occupant exposure to toxic chemicals normally used in the housing
industry. The biggest value, of course, is lessening your home's impact on the environment.

The Building Biology profession supports these practices, on the whole. Our only differences are
in the areas of building envelopes and their push to replace incandescent light bulbs with
Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs). Instead of continuing to make homes super tight, we recommend
envelopes (walls, foundations and slabs) that "breathe" so that moisture vapor can escape
without allowing air to infiltrate, which causes loss of
thermal performance. That way the wall can dry out without mold while you
save energy heating and cooling your home.

We also recommend Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) as a low-EMF and energy-saving alternative to CFLs,
which give off agitating high frequencies. Otherwise we fully embrace the intent and practices
recommended by these two programs because they offer real solutions in our effort to save
the environment.

A similar program that parallels LEED is the new
Minnesota GreenStar program.
It was started by
local remodelers and builders, many of whom are also members of the Mississippi Headwaters
chapter of the USGBC. They decided to create a parallel certification process
for remodeled and newly built homes specific
for our climate. The GreenStar program includes a healthy wiring protocol to
minimize occupant exposure to harmful electro-magnetic fields (EMFs), developed by
Oram Miller, BBEI and Spark Burmaster, EE, BBEI. You and your builder
can apply for certification through the program's
website.

Certification provides rebates and discounts from mortgage lenders, utility companies,
building material retailers and insurance companies, as well as tax credits. Homeowners
consult with their architect, builder and sub-contractors to design these green features
into the home from the start, economizing on the process.

As recently as five years ago, designing a "green" home added 5-10% to the overall cost.
That figure is now down to 1-3%, and is actually
revenue neutral when you factor in the savings in energy and water usage,
according to a study of LEED for Homes buildings.
Likewise resale value of green homes is also higher than conventionally built homes by as much
as 8-15%, as documented recently in the state of Colorado.